Borrell: elections in Georgia ‘will have to be investigated’

“Georgian Dream’s leaders have moved the country away from the European Union path, going against the aspirations of the Georgian people and to the country’s goal to be on the way to the European Union,” EU High Representative Josep Borrell told journalists after the Foreign Affairs Council, held on 18 November in Brussels.

“We all want the same thing for Georgia – to get it back to the European path,” Borrell added. “This will require efforts. We will send to Georgia a mission. We will discuss the irregularities, and elections will have to be investigated. The government has to produce decisive changes through concrete actions.”  

Borrell also said the EU would invite the Head of the ODIHR election observation mission to Georgia to present his assessment on the election irregularities to the Member States.  

Addressing the Georgian people, Borrell repeated what he said last year during his visit to Georgia: “The door of the European Union will remain open for Georgia. But the course [of action] of the government of Georgia when it comes to the respect of rule of law and basic principles, including the way elections have been conducted, is turning Georgia away from its European Union integration path.” 

Borrell added that the EU has cancelled the foreseen support from the European Peace Facility to the Georgian armed forces and €121 million of support to the Georgian government. These funds will be allocated to programmes benefiting the civil society and the Georgian people directly. 

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